


Head In The Clouds

by Kingrey



Series: Rapunzel Appreciation Week [4]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: (football as in soccer), Concussions, Cuddles, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Rapunzel is the one playing football btw Eugene wouldn't risk his nose, football au!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25594966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kingrey/pseuds/Kingrey
Summary: Rapunzel Appreciation Week Day Four: Alternate UniverseIf Rapunzel had learned one thing in her football career, it was that waking up on the field was never a good thing. Especially not when medics were looking down at you, and when your head seemed about to explode with pain.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Series: Rapunzel Appreciation Week [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1849966
Comments: 13
Kudos: 38





	Head In The Clouds

**Author's Note:**

> As I said in the tags, for my dear friends from the US, I mean football as in soccer!! Since Tangled takes place in "vaguely Europe" I feel justified using the word lol
> 
> This is quite short, but I'm not very good at AUs so... Enjoy?

If Rapunzel had learned one thing in her football career, it was that waking up on the field was _never_ a good thing. Especially not when medics were looking down at you, and when your head seemed about to explode with pain. Rapunzel groaned, the ambient noise from the spectators not helping her roaring headache, and tried to move away from one of the medic who seemed about to wave a light in front of her eyes - that didn't sound agreeable at all and she did _not_ want to try it. The movement only served to make her even more nauseous, however.

"Raps," Cassandra called, suddenly above her too - and, considering she was the goalie and that Rapunzel didn't remember being near her when she got knocked out, it must mean she had lost way more time than she thought - at least enough for Cassandra to jog over there. Not good. "Raps, stop moving alright? They're going to take care of you."

"I hate concussions," was the only answer she could mumble, voice more slurred than she expected. "Cass, you win the game, alright?"

"Yeah yeah," her best friend chuckled, "in your honour Princess."

"We need to win," Rapunzel insisted, completely missing Cassandra's amused tone as they raised her up in a stretcher. "We need to show- to show, uh-"

"Equis."

"We need to show Equis who's boss!" Rapunzel exclaimed happily.

Cassandra squeezed her hand briefly, and then Rapunzel was whisked away to the infirmary. People were speaking above her, and probably about her, but her head was hurting and she was not interested in following that. Then, they were asking her questions, and she hoped she gave the good answers but she couldn't be sure; she wasn't really focused. She kept thinking about the match with Equis. When she asked a doctor if she could go back because she needed to score a goal - which she had now realised Cassandra couldn't do if she was already the one protecting Corona's goal - the doctor only laughed, and didn't listen to her.

Well, that was rude.

She was halfway through concocting a plan to escape and go back on the field (which should probably include stealing a disguise because Cassandra would probably want her to get back to the infirmary if she recognised her) when she heard a loud voice from behind the doors. She would know that voice anywhere.

"Eugene!" she exclaimed, trying to rise herself up to see him. Her head protested loudly at this movement and the next thing she knew, she was back to lying down on the infirmary bed, while Eugene's anxious face was floating over her. "Hey you," she smiled.

"Hey Sunshine," Eugene echoed in the same tone of voice, though his smile was not as convincing as hers.

"You're not watching the game anymore?"

"Well, I was enjoying myself when the love of my life went and got herself hurt," he said softly, taking her hand gently in his. "Watching football seemed less fun, after that."

Rapunzel hummed, but she didn't know what to add to that. Eugene was looking at her with that soft look of his - the one that told her he loved her more than anything else in the world, the one that could make her melt no matter the situation, the one that seemed to make him glow under the sunlight… or maybe that was the concussion talking, she wasn't sure. She had a hard time holding onto her thoughts right now. She wanted to tell Eugene that she loved him, but the words didn't seem able to come to her right now, so she hoped he knew anyway. The world was swimming in front of her eyes and her head _hurt_ , and people were talking too loudly again and she was missing the game and- 

Eugene was still next to her, holding her hand tightly, his eyes and his smile tender despite his obvious worry. Through the dizziness that plagued her, Rapunzel tried to focus on that - on how much she loved Eugene, and how much he loved her back.

She hoped he wouldn't be too worried when she passed out, though.

* * *

One week later, her head back more or less in the right place and still banned from playing any football game for at least two other weeks, Rapunzel could say with absolute certainty that Eugene had been _worried out of his mind_ when she did pass out.

Who could blame her concussed self for wishing for the impossible? Of course he was going to be worried.

When Eugene wasn't at work, he was trying very hard to hide his hovering - and failing to do exactly that. He had good intentions, and it was mostly sweet, like getting water so she didn't have to move, or helping her through the appartement in case she got dizzy. It was also soft hands in her hair to help her relax, gentle kisses on her forehead when he thought she was sleeping, padded footsteps through the room because he knew the noise still gave her headaches. Eugene wanted to do his best because he had always been attentionate, she knew that, but still, it was getting to be a little too much.

Perhaps she couldn't play football for a while, but she _could_ walk to the kitchen by herself without passing out.

She just had to convince Eugene of that now.

"Here," Eugene smiled, entering her room again, "I put the glass away."

"I could have done that," she sighed, but she couldn't even maintain her annoyance when Eugene looked at her sadly.

"Sorry," he said, his hand going behind his neck nervously, "I'm being overbearing, aren't I?"

"A tiny bit?" Her shoulders slumped, and she patted the space next to her with a smile. "Come here."

"Oh but-"

"Eugene?"

She didn't know if it was her pleading expression or her tone, but he didn't hesitate anymore and went to sit at her side. He had been very careful with touching her these last days, scared of hurting her more but she wasn't about to let him get away with this any longer. She dragged him in her arms in one swift movement, ignoring his surprised yelp as she made them both lie down fully on the bed. She had her head above his hair, and could feel how soft it was against her skin - it was nice.

"Uh, Sunshine?" Eugene mumbled, his mouth near her collarbone.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked instead of answering.

"I- yes."

"Good, because I think I deserve a hug."

She felt him chuckle against her, making her shiver a little until his arms sneaked their way around her stomach and one his legs went over hers, Eugene pressing himself even further against her. She didn't think she could move even if she wanted, and that was exactly what she had wanted. Rapunzel was warm, and she felt safe, and her head wasn't even hurting right now so it was truly perfect.

"Don't scare me like that again," Eugene whispered after a while, breaking the soothing silence between them. "I know it wasn't your fault but- seeing you go down and not get up again, it was- it was…"

He trailed off, but Rapunzel heard him loud and clear anyway. She knew he had been terrified, and that he nearly didn't have access to the infirmary - if she hadn't called for him when she did, he would have been left alone with his worry, not knowing if she was okay or not simply because they weren't married. She knew he didn't mind waiting for her to be ready, and this kind of pressure was unfair and not a good reason to get married but… But, maybe it was the time to revisit her stance?

Maybe it was her turn to do a proposal, she thought with a smile, the idea not overwhelming anymore.

She played with his hair silently, mulling over it all, feeling his breathing slow down as he finally relaxed. Smiling, she kissed the top of his head.

"To say that you missed Corona beating Equis 4 to 1 for me," she said lightly, drawing a groan out of him. He had always been an avid fan, even before he met her, and he had been excited to attend this game for weeks.

"The things I do for love."

"You're so brave," she ironized gently, "thank you Eugene."

"Yeah yeah," he laughed, "at least I got to see you score once before your head met the ball too intimately. You've always been my favourite player."

"I know," she smiled, and she wasn't even joking anymore. She knew he admired her and not only because she was his girlfriend, but because he found her genuinely talented. It was flattering to hear him always describe her with awe and she… She loved him for loving her so much, always and unconditionally. She was truly lucky to have him, and she knew that if someone asked him, he would say that he was the lucky one.

Shifting so she could cuddle him even tighter, Rapunzel let herself be lulled to sleep by the sound of his breathing, content to have this moment of peace, and dreaming of different ways she could propose to him.

**Author's Note:**

> idk if it's good but at least it's sweet :')
> 
> This AU was inspired by a convo on discord, and technically Eugene is a firefighter in this but it wasn't important here ahah Anyway I hope you liked this!! I have an idea for tomorrow's prompt but I'm, again, very late so idk how it'll turn out!


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